


The Room

by Pinx_B



Category: Touhou Project
Genre: Angst, Dark, F/F, Minor Violence, Psychological Drama, Yuri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-21
Updated: 2018-06-21
Packaged: 2019-05-26 08:24:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,756
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14996777
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pinx_B/pseuds/Pinx_B
Summary: Spring returned, Yukari hadn't, but something far more ominous did for Eirin..





	The Room

 

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

 

Walking through Eientei idly was something Eirin found herself doing often during the winter season. 

When she wasn’t occupied at the clinic, entertaining guests or ensuring Kaguya didn't do anything too extreme out of boredom; she'd pace the mansion in thought. 

Particularly during the late hours of the night. 

When the silence engulfed everything around her, the occasional small snore coming from the rabbits being the only sound to keep her occupied. 

Only then would Eirin allow her worries to consume her mind. 

She continued walking at a leisurely pace, her arms folded across her chest and a frown on her face. 

Yukari was late. 

Spring was a week in and there was no hint of the youkai around. The Hakurei flower viewing showed no signs of her which was a concerning element. More so when Yuyuko couldn't confirm where the youkai was and Ran was nowhere to be seen. 

It was strange after years of the same routine, to have a moment where everything didn't go to plan. 

Yukari was meant to be with her the day of the viewing. She should've done the usual of checking in with Reimu, Gensokyo and anything else that required her attention & once that was done, she would be with Eirin. 

With no signs of her lover, Eirin grew more apprehensive as the days went on. 

Her features mimicked her puzzled thoughts at where Yukari could be and if she was okay. 

 _"She is more than capable of dealing with anything that may cause her issues, I know this and yet.."_.

The worry never ceased. 

She chided herself whilst continuing her walk until a breeze from an empty room grabbed her attention. 

A biting chill seemed to seep out of it despite the warmth of the mansion and Eirin was on edge, eyes alert as she stepped towards the door that was slightly ajar. 

 _"Strange, I do recall all the windows being closed"_ she mused whilst moving closer to the door, her free hand clenched as the other lay flat against the wooden surface. 

She was nothing if not diligent about Eientei's security so the doctor knew there was absolutely no way that she would leave any window open, especially at night. 

Her face scrunched up in curiosity as she quickly shifted the door to the left and it slid open with a start. 

She had extracted a knife from beneath the wraparound on her waist when she went in but to her confusion, the room was empty and the windows were closed. 

What was even more unusual was the fact that the floor of the room was scattered beautifully with cherry blossom petals. 

Even if the windows were theoretically open, there was no chance of the spring's blossoms reaching Eientei's grounds and the forest did not have any of the trees to begin with. 

"What is this.." Eirin muttered, stepping gently over the strewn, fragment petals. 

The weapon in her hand was in a ready to strike position if need be but it was unnerving; the lack of a presence and the chill still lingering around the room. 

As much as the rabbits loved to play pranks, this didn't seem like their style; certainly not Tewi's. 

That aside, they knew better than to even think about pranking Eirin, lest they didn't value their lives. 

She was stood in the middle of the room now as the eerie silence settled around the small sized area. It was being in the enclosed space with such an odd occurrence which made Eirin unable to shake off the feeling of something else being there with her. 

An unknown entity. 

A deceased presence. 

The remnant of a missing past in which Eientei was built on. 

The lunarian didn't know which one of the three it was but it was irking her every last nerve. 

A movement so sudden distracted Eirin's thoughts. 

She would've missed it if the room was not bathed in inaudible silence. 

 

It was the door. 

As wide open as it was when she came in, the doctor swiftly turned around to see it slam close. 

In quick strides, she approached the door and was about to test to see if she could open it when something grabbed her back, like fingers tugging on her dress. 

She gasped and spun around with the knife ready to impale whatever had touched her but she leapt back. 

Again to her incredulous shock, nobody was there. 

Her heart was pounding whilst her vibrant eyes scanned the room from top to bottom with no sight of anything or anyone. 

Eirin had managed to keep her composure to a certain extent but the adrenaline was kicking up a whirlwind within her body. The handle of the knife was being clutched with tremendous yet steady pressure, as if she had known how to wield one for her entire life. 

It was the aggravation of being toyed around with that was starting to build for the lunarian. 

This was Gensokyo; a land packed to the brim with the supernatural and unusual so something like this shouldn't have been that unexpected. 

However, it was certainly the first for her. 

She backed up towards the door and with her free hand, tried to open it but it was locked. 

 _"You've got to be kidding me. If this truly is one of the princess's games, I will not be letting her off so easily"_. 

Scanning the room again, Eirin allowed her rationality to take over to try and find a way out until something shimmering on the windowsill caught her eyes. 

 _"That..was not there before, was it?"_ she questioned to herself, or rather doubted. 

Sitting on the ledge, there were two sake dishes placed neatly on a brown tray with several sake beverages placed next to it. The pristine material of the utensils sparkled against the light of the moon, boasting its elegance and craftsmanship. 

The night was proving to become even more farfetched with each event and Eirin was wondering who's elaborate scheme this was. 

She was hesitant but her intrigue to see if there was anything else on the tray to reveal the identity of who the perpetrator could be won over. Yukari was her first option but she hadn't seen hair nor hide of her lover as of yet. 

That and Yukari had a very distinctive way of messing around with her. 

This seemed to be..foreboding. 

Like there was negative connotation behind each action, because she had no clue as to who it was. 

Eirin's initial thought went back to Yukari. 

 _"Maybe this is her way of letting me know that she is aware that she has not been able to arrive yet. Or perhaps it could be Yukari's way of saying she will see me soon?"_ Eirin pondered and was peering over the edge of the set up, _"But why go through this hassle, she knows I do not have a particular aversion to her little games anymore"._

The two dishes were filled with sake already she noticed, as well as the tray itself being dotted with cherry blossom petals. 

"What exactly are you up to, Yukari?" the lunarian whispered out loud as she made the mistake of dropping her guard.

 

The brief but silent wind which cascaded around the room became alive and again, the slight sense of not being alone was Eirin's only defence for how rapidly she had turned on her heel and readied her knife. 

Blindly, she brought the knife down with frightening pressure only to have a hand grip her wrist and her eyes meet red ones. 

They were fiery, lustful and flickering. 

The blue eyebrows were furrowed in a look of disappointment and anger.

A pitied, open mouthed scoff came from the pink lips 

"It is _always_ Yukari for you, isn't it?".

"Kanako?!". 

Eirin couldn't comprehend what was happening but she knew she was in trouble when the woman's lips curled into a chilling smile as her looming figure surrounded Eirin's vicinity. 

Kanako was strong, stronger than the lunarian would have anticipated. 

With the vice like grip on her wrist, Eirin was struggling to lower the knife enough to plunge it into Kanako's neck, anything to bide some time to escape but it was futile. 

She had grabbed the top of Eirin's dress and slammed her against the window, the tray and its contents smashing to the ground as Eirin winced. Along with this, the knife in the lunarian's hand slipped much to her dismay and Kanako's pleasure. 

"Kanako! Stop this! What has gotten into you!" she uttered between gritted teeth. 

"You are asking the wrong questions" Kanako taunted and shoved her back again, "Or..is it only Yukari's questions you can understand now, has she messed with your head _that_ much? Hmm?". 

"I, I don't know what is going through your mind right now but you will regret this if you do not unhand me!". 

Kanako let go only to place both of her hands around Eirin's neck. 

"Are you really in any position to be threatening me? You have no power or leverage here in Gensokyo. Hiding behind Yukari is all that is left of the great lunarian sage and what a sorry sight you've become" Kanako stated with a menacing tone, "How about you stop talking and start listening? Well, not that you have a choice" she chuckled as her grip around the doctor's throat built up. 

Eirin was clawing at Kanako's hands like a caged cat; nails ripping into skin as her airways became constricted under the increasing pressure. The madness in the other woman's eyes was feral, something that Eirin had never seen before. Even her words were scathing and the lunarian felt her own anger build up primarily due to her actually considering Kanako's bitter statement. 

 _"Is..it true? Have I become that weak?"_. 

"You are nothing here, Eirin" Kanako continued and lifted the woman up off the ground, a choked gurgle escaping Eirin's lungs as she swung in the air, "A pity as I'd come to expect greatness from you but all you became was a youkai's plaything. How despairing". 

Eirin was losing each breath; the energy or voice to respond and fight fading. 

All she could do to keep her conscience at bay was to continue dragging her hands over Kanako's wrists to release her but it was futile.

"I should kill you here, right now.." Kanako said and crushed her palms harder, relishing in the image of the dying lunarian, "But we both know that it isn't possible. Lucky for you since there is somebody else that would like a word with you". 

Just like that, Kanako dropped her to the ground & disappeared.

The thud was violent as Eirin landed on her side and rolled around gasping for air. She was covered in sweat as her eyes remained clamped shut and nausea overtook her. Heavy intakes of oxygen were consumed with each coughing fit and trying to even work out what was happening couldn't cross Eirin's mind. 

"Yukari.." she whimpered, her hands clutched at her aching throat, "Yukari!". 

But the youkai didn't gap through. 

Eirin never had to repeat her name as once was all that was required for Yukari to turn up. 

The fact that not even Reisen and Kaguya had heard the commotion was another fearful thought. 

Reisen wasn't one to not be aware of anything going on in the mansion, especially if Eirin needed her. 

 _Nothing_ made sense. 

Eirin could not begin to comprehend why Kanako would attack her both physically and mentally. 

She rolled onto her back once she'd accumulated enough air in her lungs and tried to get up but she never managed to do so herself. A hand gently rested on her crumpled dress where the collar had split due to Kanako's aggression and lifted her up. 

Not expecting it, Eirin's eyes flew open as her nerves jumped on edge at who had picked her up before calming down again. 

 

It was Byakuren. 

She wore a serene smile on her lips while her hands carefully patted down Eirin's dress. 

"Are you alright? Kanako was a little too rough on you wasn't she?". 

"Byakuren..what is going on? Why are you here?". 

Eirin felt something formidable propel around them while she tried to stabilise her mind that was overworking itself in trying to figure out what was occurring. At least Byakuren seemed to have no intent in harming her and she appeared to know why Kanako was there. The Buddhist didn't respond for several seconds, focusing on smoothing the wrinkles on Eirin's dress. Her neck was reddened still and the torn collar allowed that to be exposed enough for Byakuren to tenderly run her fingers up and down Eirin's throat. 

"You arrived here, did you not? You came to see _us_ " she responded. 

Her words were empty, emotionless and monotonous. 

Not like how Byakuren normally was, or even when she asked her if she was okay. 

Eirin did not know how to read the situation & it was perplexing.

"You are at Eientei, Byakuren, I live here".

Byakuren's lips widened into a sharp and deviant smile, "So we are. This is your home where you reside with your princess. For all eternity I should add. That must be quite pleasant". 

"What do you mean?" Eirin queried once her voice had regained under the touch of the Buddhist caressing her neck & throat. 

"Immortality". 

"You are mistaken. There are many issues and problems that arise with being trapped". 

"Hardly, I don't believe you are utilising your never ending existence efficiently" the woman said as her fingers dragged across to where Eirin's pulsing heart was, "This..will never cease. You will _never_ die. Do you have any idea what one would do in order to obtain such a gift?". 

The uneasiness of the conversation struck Eirin, especially when Byakuren looked into her eyes again. 

"Do you have any idea, what _I_ have had to do to not meet death, Eirin?". 

"Our situations are not similar. That aside, I think it is best you leave now. Go back to Kanako". 

Eirin stepped backwards as she said this, disconnecting the cold touch of Byakuren's fingers airing over her heart. 

However, she hadn't seen the priestess’s other hand quickly go up when she closed the space between them again and grabbed her by the back of her head. The action distracted Eirin from something more concerning occurring as she gripped Byakuren's arms to force her to let go. 

It was the stinging pain on her chest where her heart was which made the lunarian glance down in horror. 

She could see Byakuren's nails dug into the skin; all fingers and the thumb neatly wedged in. 

It was unusual for the priestess to keep her nails long and to see them stuck into her skin with the trails of blood seeping down left Eirin in a daze. 

Her hands shuddered as she lowered them to push Byakuren away, shoving at her shoulders but the other woman barely budged back an inch. She held a twisted smile that did little to hinder her beauty, making the situation even more unnerving. 

Eye manically wide and fingers squeezing into Eirin's skin slowly, Byakuren yanked at the top of Eirin's braid to keep her head steady and face right in front of hers. 

"You are ungrateful of your immortality and it is sickening" the priestess whispered roughly, "You are undeserving of it. I sold my soul to the dark, the sinful and the sinister to become a youkai and prolong my death, did you know that?". 

"Stop, please" Eirin murmured as the ripping of her skin deepened the harder Byakuren's fingers scratched into it, "Byakuren". 

"No, I don't think I will. It is not like you have anything to fear" the woman replied with bitterness and thrust Eirin's silver braid up whilst curling her fingers in her chest, "As always, you will rise from the dead, living to see another day. It is only fair that you get to taste death for a while, Yukari will not mind".

Eirin attempted to back away again but the sheer grip that Byakuren had on her was impressive and frightening. 

Her chest ached while blood continued to dribble down with each scathing dig of the nails lodged there. 

She couldn't escape and the realisation of this being the same as what Kanako had done came back, which created more fear to wash through her veins along with the blood. 

Her mouth stammered out for Yukari again, hoping that her lover could hear her now but, she was met with nothingness and Byakuren's empty grin. 

"Oh, what is this? My company is not good enough for you?" she sneered, "How upsetting. Well, I suppose Yukari is highly in demand. In fact, I am sure there was somebody else that had the entirety of her attention before you came along. Why not see if you'd rather enjoy her presence? It might be the last thing you feel, however".

The last sentence had a dour aura that froze Eirin to the core when Byakuren removed her fingers out with a wet splatter. 

 

Her legs would've given away due to the shock of the events happening but before she could collapse, Eirin felt a figure wrap around from behind her as Byakuren faded away. 

It made sense. 

The excessive chill in the air, the cold breath freezing her ear, the waft of death and decay settling around her. 

"Yu-yuko". 

Though she couldn't see it, Eirin knew there was a smile on Yuyuko's lips when she replied. 

"You feel _so_ warm". 

Eirin was too weakened to react as she felt Yuyuko's arms around her tightening, like she was entangling her in the way a python would do to its prey. Her arms were locked beneath the princess's, unable to shift them at all but with the blood from her chest still trailing its way down, she was losing any strength she had. 

"I need...Yukari!" Eirin gasped out, "Let go of me". 

Yuyuko increased the icy grip over Eirin's body, "If you want to see her, it will have to be in the Netherworld. Is that okay? It is where she can be found most of the time. Maybe not as often now" she finished, a darker tinge added. 

"Yuyuko, stop this". 

"I won't stop till you are dead. Regrettably, that will not be permanent but if it'll get you to stay away from Yukari for a moment, I am happy to keep killing you. Yukari belongs to _me_ ". 

"You, you are wrong" the lunarian stammered between shivering, her eyes rapidly glancing around as she could feel the light dimming. 

Distant fluttering could be heard and she was straining her ears to figure out where it was coming from but it combined with the rush of her blood pounding. 

"Do you believe that Yukari is only for you, is that it, Eirin?" Yuyuko cooed into her ear with demented gentleness, "How misinformed. Yukari has always belonged to me. I was the one who became the centre of her world. I was the one that could only understand her. I was the only one that she needed. Then, _you_ came along". 

Whatever Yuyuko was doing proved to be daunting and dangerous as Eirin could feel her life depleting with every second. 

The room around her became dark as the harmonic fluttering of wings became increasingly audible. 

Butterflies. 

Thousands of them were flying around when Eirin blinked.

Her breath was visible in the air as the ghostly insects hovered around in an eerie yet beautiful manner. 

"You took her away from me". 

More butterflies appeared to be materialising as the blackness became dense, completely cutting out any light. 

"You stole the one thing that made my life bearable, both after death and before". 

Eirin was suffocating as her veins were being crushed by the cold so agonisingly. She could feel her blood cells shutting down, refusing to move through her blood stream while each intake of oxygen became halted. 

"The brain of the moon. Eirin Yagokoro. Yukari's supposed rival".

Each word was laced with venom, the small voice packing so much hatred in it. 

"You took her away from me and that, is unforgivable".

The butterflies kept multiplying and Eirin became more hazy, unable to coordinate her eyes and keep them open. 

Yuyuko was killing her, this much she was aware of. 

Eirin had long given up in trying to find a reasonable explanation as to what was ongoing & why they were so furious with her to a point of attacking her. 

It was unexpected, like being hit in the face by a bullet that one hadn't quite managed to graze and yet, Eirin could see some twisted justification in their actions. 

Kanako's hatred. 

Byakuren's resentment.

Yuyuko's jealousy. 

Each of them harboured these feelings beneath the surface and were now letting them free since Yukari was nowhere to be found. 

Since Yukari could not save her. 

"Eirin, open your eyes. There is someone here to see you off". 

 

The lunarian barely managed to do so and it was the creepy way in which Yuyuko stated it that gave her the adrenaline as her body slumped forward. 

"You're here.." she spoke in a hushed voice to the figure standing in front of them, "Yukari". 

Relief flooded Eirin at seeing the youkai as she could finally put an end to this sequence of perplexing moments. If there was a woman who Yuyuko would adhere to, it was certainly Yukari. Soon, she'd be freed of this nightmare and then she could work on fixing the cause of the issues between the three women and herself. 

Yukari would certainly help her with it. 

But that was quickly squashed when Yuyuko spoke up. 

"Do you want to take over, Yukari?". 

Yukari tucked her fan beneath her chin in contemplation before winking at Yuyuko, "I'm enjoying the view, darling. Could you please take care of her?". 

 _"Yukari, why.."_ Eirin screamed within her mind at hearing those words. 

Her body was becoming lighter and lighter as death continued to steal her essence, feeding the layers of black butterflies buzzing around them. Yukari's deadly words were the only thing resonating in the lunarian's mind which overtook the sounds of the wings brushing consistently. 

Through the glimpse of vision from her closing eyes, Eirin couldn't see a hint of humour or teasing in Yukari's violet orbs. 

They looked rigid, menacing & malevolent which matched the smirk on her lips. 

Eirin's thought process shut down with hearing the simplicity of how Yukari had allowed Yuyuko to kill her even though she wouldn't die but for the lunarian, the betrayal from her lover was the final blow. 

"Anything for you" Yuyuko smiled lovingly at the youkai before she rested her chin on Eirin's shoulder that drooped, "Didn't I say, you are nothing but a fleeting fancy for Yukari, disposable yet fun". 

"Now now, Yuyuko" Yukari chuckled, "She has her uses. That mind of hers cannot be replicated. It just needed a little..taming. What better way to do that than to show a lunarian the delights of what it means to be an earthling till all she desired was me" she explained, her tone casual like she was listing off names of plants, "The lunarians greatest asset under _my_ control. It is beautiful isn't it". 

"As expected of you, Yukari. Look at how docile she has become for your affection, relying on you to save her". 

"Ah well, what more can we expect from those of the moon. Even they will fall and to me no less" Yukari grinned, "My grand plan starts with controlling her" and pointed her fan towards Eirin. 

"Yukari..".

Eirin's head had dropped as she took her final breath with the youkai's words etched into her mind like one would brand a criminal with hot iron. 

There was no longer a point in trying to keep her impending, temporary death halted. 

"I'll be seeing you soon, Eirin" Yuyuko leaned in and exhaled into the lunarian's ear, "I can guarantee you will not be seeing Yukari again" she laughed in victory, "You are dead to her".

The lunarian’s consciousness wore out and her eyes sleepily closed for the last time after one more look at Yukari. 

She was all smiles and full of life, like she hadn't just broken Eirin down complete. 

That was the last image Eirin would retain before coming back & having to deal with the aftermath of what Yukari had done, what they all had done and she had no idea how she would recuperate from it. 

They'd all cut the ties that bound them together and Yukari was the ringleader of it.

_"Is it only Yukari's questions you can understand now, has she messed with your head that much?"._

_"It is only fair you get to taste death for a while, Yukari will not mind"._

_"You are nothing but a fleeting fancy for Yukari"._

"I..was a puppet for her all along".

 

With the rapid procession of her heartbeat thudding, Eirin's eyes shot open as she gasped out. Her body was warm with perspiration which forced her to peel away her side of the blanket. 

Moving her head to the side to look out of the window, the lunarian could see that it was still dark. 

She had woken up from her dream, dazed, waiting for her senses to acclimatise to being jolted awake all of a sudden. A long exhale escaped her lips as she placed her hand on her head and took a few deep breaths in. 

 _"What kind of a dream was that?"._  

It was fresh in her head and she could recall every second of it which made it that much more worrying. 

 _"A puppet? For Yukari?"_ she mused and removed her hand to slowly get up, " _Me?"_. 

She pulled her kimono tighter around her body as it'd come loose and she wondered if she was tossing and turning due to what was occurring in the dream. Looking down at the sleeve of the clothing, the luscious purple colour reminded her that it was Yukari's, not her own that she was wearing. She often did find herself like this whenever she stayed over at the youkai's home which was rather frequently now. 

Still, there was something about being chained in Yukari's robe and what Kanako, Byakuren & Yuyuko had tormented her with in the dream that stuck around like a putrid scent. 

"Chained.." she mumbled and stroked the silk material "Why am I reading so much into a dream. My relationship with Yukari is not like that".

 _"Are you sure?"_ another voice in her mind questioned, _"Even you cannot deny how carefree you have been around her, letting each of your guards down and giving her every drop of your trust. As a lunarian, is that not reckless, Eirin?"_. 

The doctor shook her head as the feeling of doubt oozed in like sludge. It was thick, heavy and overwhelming with each thought of how she had been with Yukari over the years. 

They were not enemies anymore. 

They did not despise each other. 

They fell in love. 

 _"So why, why am I thinking this? Why does a part of me believe what was said?"_.

Eirin turned to her right to see the sleeping youkai's face. She appeared so harmless and innocent which always startled the lunarian whenever she woke up before her. 

She was curled up close, her arm stretched out in the position it was in before Eirin had been woken up, making her seem that much more vulnerable. 

It was a part of the youkai that most wouldn't see. 

They would never get a moment to have Yukari as she was now; without a defence in sight. 

She could not fight back. 

She could not disappear. 

She could not unleash her power. 

It would have been a gift for the many enemies that Yukari had acquired over the course of her existence to have her like this. 

Eirin leaned forward as the blues of her eyes dimmed to a darker shade to match the shadows that were crawling out of her, composing ideas she had stopped thinking about many years ago. 

She gulped lightly and wet her lips while she hovered a hand over Yukari's face. 

The vision of her dreams kept swirling around which plunged the lunarian into an automated state of something predatory. 

Something that did not want to let the Eirin in the dream become a reality. 

_"Perhaps..I should just kill her first?"._


End file.
